Perch

Perch aren't fussy fish and live in just about all kinds of fresh waters in the Netherlands. You find them in stationary and flowing water. Perch also live in brackish water. You find fewer perch in ditches and smaller waters than in the IJsselmeer and other large waters and rivers. Perch are eye catchers: you aren't likely to mix them up with other fish species due to their dark vertical stripes, bright red tail and red pelvic fins. They have two separate dorsal fins, the front one having hard spines. Perch are predator fish. Small perch eat invertebrates such as opossum shrimp and gammarids. Larger fish switch over to hunting smelt or even other perch. This is also why they are loners.

Perch spawn from mid March till the end of April in water temperatures warmer than 8 degrees Celsius. The eggs are laid in the shape of wide jagged ribbons several eggs across, in shallow water above aquatic plants, tree roots or dead branches.

Perch is somewhat resistant to eutrophication and murky water as long as there is sufficient and large enough prey (such as opossum shrimp). It is found throughout the Netherlands. In Europe, it is found north of the Alps up to Northeastern Asia.